Dashboard 2030Visit Indicator Pages

North Carolina

Tracking North Carolina’s progress in economic development, business climate and job growth

Dashboard 2030 informs dialogue and catalyzes action to address North Carolina’s economic development challenges and opportunities. It provides independent and objective data on leading indicators in four critical areas important for state and business competitiveness.

Education & Talent Supply

Developing and sustaining a first-rate education and talent development system that is effective and agile will ensure that North Carolina can consistently produce a competitive, diverse, world class workforce.

NC universities’ 6-year graduation rate has exceeded the national rate for 10 years.

Increase in STEM degrees in NC2000 to 2009

6.1%

The number of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees awarded to 18-24 year olds increased from 2000 to 2009.

Pre-School Enrollment

Percentage of 3 and 4 year-olds enrolled in 2010 in NC was lower than the US percentage.

Businesses with 10 to 99 employees accounted for 1.8 million jobs in North Carolina in 2012.

Competitive Business Climate

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Entrepreneurship and innovation lead to capital formation, investment, and the creation of businesses and jobs in new, high-growth industries that will be important for North Carolina’s competitive advantage in the future.

Seventeen states - including Alabama and Virginia in the South - outperformed NC on business-related R&D as a percentage of private industry output.

Venture Capital Disbursed per $1,000 of State GDP

$1.07

Only 9 States out-performed NC.

New York $1.15

Maryland $1.21

Utah $1.25

Vermont $1.28

Rhode Island $1.32

Washington $1.80

Colorado $1.81

California $5.77

Massachusetts $6.26

28 states, including VA, had a higher percentage of high-tech employment than NC in 2008.